1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rear fender mounting structure and a backrest mounting structure for a motorcycle.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. Hei 4-37033 discloses a motorcycle including a rear fender supported on rear portions of a body frame. The rear fender extends rearward from a driver's seat. Grab rails are provided on the right and left sides of the rear fender. A fellow rider's seat is disposed on the rear fender, and a backrest is disposed behind the fellow rider's seat.
In mounting the rear fender, the rear fender is held between rear portions of the body frame and the grab rails. The rear portions of the body frame are disposed inside the rear fender, and the grab rails are disposed outside the rear fender. Bolts pass through the grab rails, and through holes formed in side portions of the rear fender. Leading ends of the bolts are threadably engaged with nuts previously welded on the rear portions of the body frame. Thus, the rear fender is securely supported on the rear portions of the body frame.
In an alternative rear fender mounting configuration according to the background art, a body frame is disposed outside the rear fender and a subframe is disposed inside the rear fender. In this configuration, a part of the body frame, located outside the rear fender, is visible. The sub-frame, which is disposed inside the rear fender, supports a tail light and a mud guard.
Using the rear fender mounting structures of the background art, it is difficult to mount the rear fender to the motorcycle. It is very inconvenient to align all of the mounting holes involved, while passing a bolt through the aligned mounting holes, and threading a nut on the end of the bolt. The fender mounting structures, according to the background art, can lead to delays in mounting the rear fender on the motorcycle, and possibly require the efforts of more than one worker to accomplish the task.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a simplified rear fender mounting structure which can facilitate quick and easy mounting of a rear fender onto a motorcycle.
Also, the motorcycle of Japanese Utility Model Publication Hei 4-37033 has backrest supporting brackets supporting the backrest. The backrest supporting brackets extend downward from right and left sides of the backrest. Lower ends of the backrest supporting brackets are continuously formed to rear ends of the grab rails. By this arrangement, the backrest is supported by the body frame when the grab rails are attached to the body frame.
This backrest supporting arrangement suffers drawbacks. For example, a fellow rider may desire to hold the backrest supporting brackets during running of the vehicle. When the back rest supporting brackets are used as grips, vibrations from the engine are transmitted to the hands of the fellow rider.
In other motorcycles according to the background art, the backrest supporting brackets are not connected to the grab rails. Instead, the backrest supporting brackets have their lower ends fastened to frame members, or stays, of the sides of the motorcycle's body using bolts or the like. However, this mounting arrangement damages the appearance of the motorcycle's body, and requires that holes be made in the frame member, or stay.
Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a simplified backrest mounting structure which can facilitate quick and easy mounting of a backrest onto a motorcycle while dampening any vibrations transmitted from the motorcycle's engine to the backrest.